The Mountaintop
Will hi. My name is Matt. I'm one of the leaders here is my privilege this morning to get to speak to you. Thanks so much everyone for being with us, but really glad you came out. Expect all of us experienced a Mountaintop experience, you know that moment when things are so amazing when things are perfect. You just wanted to go on and on and on like this one actually and I saw them in concert on a Friday and then we spend the rest of the weekend with them teaching us how to do some of the same things teaching us some of those same songs and the weekend ended with this concert that we have sworn. You know, how many concert wheeler and Justin a weekend to deliver before heading back home and I loved it so much. I just loved it so much. I'm the experience of being in the middle of it was like a hundred people I ever was built in their guts out. It was just it was pretty harmonious. At least when I was standing still pretty harmonious. It's hard to express how much that move. When I get home, I'll put on the shape of their concert now. I'm that's how long ago. This was some young.
Now before Spotify user need physical objects to store music CDs may be seen CDs in your life before even see these are these things go tapes that like long spaghetti inside of them that she carried imagine that life before the internet actually existed 3-step stairs between these two speakers on with the console on just as a lad the concert a van just as well as like a minute. They're trying to relive that moment. I'm sure you've had your on a Mountaintop experience. Is that the trouble with these experiences with these pies? These Exquisite moments as they all come to an end. I may be there on that Mountaintop just for a moment. Right? Sometimes I've known it has been seconds. I've been there and I've known other times it's days or weeks the things stay that way but whatever they all come to an end the Darren this will they all pass?
Like I was relieved us 18 for more like how is aching for just another moment of that music before we working our way through the Gospel of Luke that is Luke's biography of Jesus his telling of Jesus his story. We're taking it a bit by bit in sequence and look in each section and turn thinking together about what is this have to do with us today? What what significance does this have for us here and now we get to section this week where I'm pretty certain it would have been one of those Mountaintop experience is it would have been one of those standout moments in the life of the people who were there? And it challenges us I think to consider why it is that these moments can last. I'm going to start my reading saying a slightly unusual place. We're going to pick up just the very end of Jesus speaking be spelling it for this life. With what does it mean that he is God's chosen one. What's the significance of that? What's it going to mean for him? What to get a mean for them and we will carry on with work out the end of Jesus speaks because I connect to the event that follows to come with me to Luke chapter 9 verse 27. If you got one of these blue Bibles here chapter 9 at some pains 1039 in the chapter 9 is the big 9 so I can for the big 9 and then verse 27 is the small 27 is right at the end of the section of the small 27 oz going to come to re from this morning.
Truly I tell you some who stand some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God. About eight days after Jesus had said this he took Peter John and James with him and went to the top of the mountain to pray. As he was praying his appearance in his face changed and his clothes became bright as flash of lightning. Two men Moses and Elijah appeared in the glory and Splendor talking with Jesus. We spoke about his departure which he was a boat to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy. But they became fully awake. They saw him in his glory and the two men standing with him. As a man, we're leaving Jesus Peter said to him Master it is good for us to be here. What does picked up three shelters one for you one for Moses and one for Elijah. He did not know what he was saying. While he was speaking a clothes appeared and covered them and they would have freed as I answered that quote a voice came from the cloud sing. This is my son whom I have chosen listen to him. when the voice had spoken these phones Jesus was alone. But this April's kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time. What type of what they had seen. Thanks, Al.
well that that is a true Manson top experience.
It is a pretty weird story. If you're new to church, if you're just exploring with all say it. It probably sounds pretty far out there. What are you on? Here we go. Glowing Jesus. Okay, we're Moses and Elijah to The Stand Up characters from Jewish friend, isn't it? I was being described here is clearly an extraordinary event is like a special effects.
What are the beginning is not gospel? Luke tells us that he is going to track down the eyewitnesses. He's going to get a story from them first hand and it looks like he's down here. You can read the same story recorded Frost in Matthew and Mark's gospel as well. But variations in the reports and feels like an eyewitness a can of an extraordinary experience Myspace if you were there if you were there when this happened this be pretty memorable wouldn't it would have stuck with you as well? Imagine if your pizza making up a story like this that just makes you as a total number T. I use a store you going to fabricate? Now I totally understand if you're feeling skeptical about this. That's okay is weird. But at the same time there's some good reason to at least consider was recorded for us here. Imagine what it might mean if it was true. So stick with me and we'll try and work our way through so we got this glowing Jesus why the fancy flashing closets with the glory of the world practice just connected to the glory of God himself is often depicted as brightness and the light at somebody absolutely extraordinary Jesus and Moses and Elijah when they're there to get a look at verse 32 Tienda verse 32. What do you find you find? They see his glory Jesus his glory and the other two were just men standing with him. So Jesus, even the other guys are blowing Jesus be even more glorious than Moses is he's right of the top of the Jewish Hall of Fame. How many people watched The Prince of Egypt? This is my visits Moses, right? That's 10 plagues Exodus time of pharaoh is a print one who don't cause lead his people through the middle of the sea into the promised land Moses. The Bible tells us is the guy you get to speak with God face to face. Like a man speaks to his friend. It kind of makes sense when he was going to be there Moses might be there. He's a he's a key point. But but what if she's fairly weird if you guys you would know who Elijah was he was a key Prophet to the center of a whole Suite of amazing Miracles some challenging and Israel, which turned away from going to come come on back of a hard to depend on why is it lying to hear that's a bit more of an open question and commentators disagree, but he strongly associated with the end. I would the day when God will call time on everything. In fact, our bibles are split into Old and New Testaments to split into two main chunks and the Old Testament right at the very end of Act One among the last vs. UL. You read this see I will send the Prophet Elijah to you before that great and Dreadful day of the Lord comes to kind of make sense. This Elijah is associated with the end with God's coming back with a Gold Coast time and begins cleaning a house. Elijah maybe. Is there as the end table him Elijah the end and Moses The Exodus maybe those are the two can a big figures on the mountain and Peter. I got to tell you Peter is just loving imagine that imagine. Your greatest fear is your favorite YouTube Stars three of them in one place at one time you like. Wow, this is amazing. I presume he fell asleep praying which let's be honest can happen. My wife may have actually caught me doing that from time to time flowing to the Max and Elijah turn to leave. It makes complete sense. Peter ones takes 10 things.
Camp out on the top of a very tall mountain things to do rather often. This part will makes him such a lovable character. I even Luke Luke is the the gospel. That's the most polite about the disciples even Luke polite that he is here has to say Peter did not know why he was saying he was out of it. He didn't know what he saying. But he did know what he was trying to do. I didn't know what he was trying to do his trying to keep the moment. He was trying to stay on the Mountaintop. You're trying to prolong this experience the glory that's high. Habitats know how it's going to be easy Jesus and his glowing bodies that just finished chatting something through a verse 31 tells us they spoke about his departure. Which is about to bring to fulfillment of Jerusalem. Jesus has like a departure book display book the clocks ticking and I was leaving from Jerusalem. So he needs to get there not many of you actually in Jerusalem. Jesus is going to be betrayed. He's going to be tortured and then ultimately he's going to be killed in Jerusalem. That's what's going to happen there. Is talk of departure is a euphemism. There's a big word for the day. I euphemism not a euphemism. So the dictionary tells me substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for something that may offend or suggest something unpleasant. Will this is your big-time euphemism, isn't it? Big-time euphemism departures about a big mean for what's ahead of Jesus this barbaric death that's really hard for us to even imagine in our kind of civilized society today. Suffering lies ahead and then death departure from this life amazing Elijah talking about departure with you. So they just trying to play it down. That's what's going on here than just trying to your comment down, you know Jesus you can do this, but there's actually something important here is a little hard to see in our English translations of the Bible. This bit was originally written in a language Greek in Greek and Greek you wouldn't have been able to message you see the Bible word translated departure is literally the word Exodus they say they spoke about his Exodus that stuff that's a funny way of writing an ex isn't it? But that's how they resurrect Exodus.
There's much more going on here. Jesus is going to Jerusalem to begin a new and a greater Exodus. Have you not heard that name that phrase before this idea of Exodus? You don't know the story of the original Exodus that's not going to mean much to you. So this is where God brings his ancient people the Israelites. Out of Egyptian captivity through these 10 cataclysmic plagues that culminates in a plague of the death of the firstborn. He takes them through the Red Sea the opens in front of them wandering through the Wilderness and ultimately into the good land that they've been so long from if you can read the story in the Bible what you think the books called? Exodus in the book of Exodus you can read the story of The Exodus that makes sense doesn't expect. And Moses will the Moses who that it shows us is chatting to Jesus here. He's the key guy in the Sexes. He's the one God used to lead the people in it. So he went on the mountain there speaking about Jesus coming departure is coming Exodus that talkin about an even bigger version of the same thing. That's about to be fulfilled.
You say like God's ancient people Israel. We've been held captive a supremely powerful pharaoh who ruled them with physical oppression. That's not our story.
I'll captivity is a bit more subtle than that preps. You've never even noticed it. You never even really felt that kept tivity but we have been held captive deep inside each one of us in our very nature in a basic programming. There's something Twisted there's something which isn't the way it ought to be we're wired for Rebellion. Apple ID for each of us turns away from the straight path each but turns away from God turns away from the way God wants us to live each of us ignore him and goes back to our own way. The Bible tells us were held captive by this broken wiring by the operating system. We simply can't do what's right and in my own life, I come face-to-face with that. I remember very clearly before I became a follower of Jesus. What are the things that really stuck at me was a time? I determined to change who I was and how I behaved and I found I couldn't do it. I wanted to change but I couldn't do it. I was a captive when we turn away from God when we do things that down, please and even though we're captive. He can't just ignore that. He doesn't just sweep those things under the rug. Is simply too good to ignore evil. He's going to deal with it. And if you've ever met serious evil in your life place up, what did you just read about some of the terrible evil the reason our world? You know, it's right but God has to deal with I can't just ignore it. Not just captive because of our wrong thoughts because of our broken internal wiring. We are also God's story of Liberation the 10 plays go send on Egypt Drive the oppressor king to release the captives Israel will the miss greatorex this we're talking about Jesus is going to liberate us to get a free us from our captivity for my Brokenness and the tea with God he had such erase them when he's going to suffer and die on a cross channels that connected to Liberation for the Bible tells us he took the punishment for the wrong things. We do in our place as on a substitute. So we no longer need to be goddamn if we're liberated from that judgment from his rough. Jesus doesn't just died in Jerusalem, if you know the end of the story he in the same Jerusalem. He will rise again from the dead into New Life. Snow total for filming of this new Exodus that we've been talkin about. In Jerusalem is going to rise again from the dead and then he's going to send back to his father. So the Holy Spirit can come and live in his followers that begins our transformation. What's the saying you live at reinstall the operating system you want to think about it that way so taken together that type of Liberation Jesus accomplishes works. You liberate us from Jackson the Judgment associated with them. He takes our punishment in our place, but he Deliver Us from my broken wiring for my Rebellion as well. He opens the way for the Holy Spirit to come and renew as working from the inside. the Captivity Liberation the end of the story if you read Exodus, you'll find after a long and difficult journey through the desert where things don't go to plan and it's a bit of a mess. But still that first existenz with a fulfillment. And for the Finish Line. Bring the people into a new land the land that he has promised them that he's long promised them. He fulfills the promises he made to Abraham the great kind of for father this whole Jewish Nation. The opportunity to settle. So enjoy Peace and Freedom is his people. What is a parallel for that too in this new and greater Exodus that Jesus is leading us on as well. Jesus is going to fulfill the promises he made to us as his followers. Later on, Jesus going to tell his disciples. He's going ahead to prepare a place for them. He's going to come back and take them to be with him. John 14 1 2 3. He's going ahead of us parent to come back to take us to be with him. And that's the combination of the new and greater Exodus. But we still it in the between before that fulfillment has happened. This what lies ahead.
A new and greater Exodus freeing us from captivity free and things to fulfillment. Jesus is not going to stay on the Mountaintop. He won't stay on the Mountaintop because he's heading for Jerusalem. We have to continue this journey has to bring to fulfillment his departure his ex does he's going to bring it to fulfillment Peters attempts to keep things going there interrupted by this appearance of a clown. What is cloud?
Often is associated with the presence of God in the Bible. For example in the same original access store, you know, there's a cloud representing the presence of God on the top of a man to be thinking man. Something always happens to me never get to see the view most people in the desert or the clouds filling. The Temple of Solomon would go on to build a laser to the presence of experience 3 heroes or Jesus into Heroes of the faith Rises higher still the presence of God himself is Manifest and then this voice speaks better not ignoring. This is my son whom I have chosen. Listen to him. Got himself speaks these affirmations over Jesus's son. You've been with us a while. Maybe you'll remember back to Jesus's baptism at his baptism a voice speaks from Heaven. It says something pretty similar for the big difference here is for the baptism speaking to Jesus. You are my son. Here it's addressed to the disciples. This is my son a different address if there's any doubt left about who Jesus is in these disciples Minds surely that must a raise it by his speech. Speech places with this one command listen to him. listen
was it the disciples were meant to be hearing? Before and after this extraordinary encounter Jesus speaks of what lies ahead for him speaks of how he's going to have to go to Jerusalem to be betrayed to suffer and to die. He's Road leads through suffering to Glory. Glory Beyond, even this Mountaintop and I think that's one of the main things the disciples are to hear. They've been to embrace it rather than resist it. This road of suffering that Jesus is sitting out on is the only path that is ultimately going to lead not just to his departure his death but to this greater Exodus in the rescue and restoration.
An amazing experience and significant moment. What should be taken away from something like this? Will this Mountaintop with Peter one thing is it can last until sniffer last? Why because this world is still broken? Because we we are still broken people that rewiring inside us as work in progress. Because not everything has been fulfilled yet. We we sometimes try too hard to keep on mountain tops. We're grasping if it was always slipping through our fingers. There's no way that we can keep that so we stuck. With a life is always going to be this fleeting glimpses disappointment fleeting Glimpse disappointment aching for something we can never keep. No, Jesus goes down from the mountain to begin this great access this journey of Salvation. So if you call yourself a Christian here today, you have to get your head around this the true and great but it's not yet reached that for filming on that Mountaintop to stay just yet. The Mountaintop is not walk. The Christian life on Earth is going to look like The highest our lives are we going to be passing always pleasing? But at least we have a reason to hope it won't always be this way.
Because of Jesus Journey on to Jerusalem the truth and great and unending Mountaintop opens up ahead of us. Jesus going to come back and take us to be within that fulfillment lies ahead still and what's that going to look like a world made, right? beauty without any corruption Community without any evil Joy without any end god without limit How we deal with the mountain tops? We can't keep. Here's what I think we should do. We should use those fleeting glimpses of how there is something better and something further and something more we should use those glimpses to point us to the real fulfillment to head rather than trying to hang on to them. We should say. Yes, that's what it will be like,
Jesus our new Moses will lead us to that fulfillment lead us time if we just listen to him.
Spray for lemon and then some questions to discuss.
Got to go. Please help us to understand that when this life is so often disappointing and frustrating even for those who follow you when the good things and it just seemed to slip away so often when we experience Peace Prize and then they pass.
He's my will let them go but let them pointers to the Fulfillment that Jesus has promised. They'll bring us to be with you with everything renew to Maid-Rite.
Are there people here today who don't know you I'm part of this great story. I pray even for them these men Cintas might the rectum. Towards the one true great and final Mountain. Thank you. You've opened a way for all he want to follow you to come there.
a man